National security correspondent

Declaring the ''9/11 decade'' to be over, the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, has announced that Australia's national security focus will switch firmly to the Asia-Pacific region, where the rise of new powers is creating a ''more crowded and complex'' strategic landscape.

Announcing the government's new national security strategy, Ms Gillard said Australia would boost its diplomatic representation in the Asia-Pacific region in an effort to promote stability as the area undergoes dramatic change.

And the government would establish an Australian cyber security centre, which will strengthen the digital defences of key departments and work with businesses to ensure their systems are well protected.

Ms Gillard said the behaviour of countries would dominate Australia's national security thinking, ending an era in which ''non-state actors'' such as terrorist groups posed the greatest risk.

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''The 9/11 decade is ending and a new one is taking its place,'' Ms Gillard said.

Rising incomes in Asia meant governments in the region were spending more on their defence forces. Equally, population growth and greater affluence were putting pressure on energy, water and food resources, Ms Gillard said, pointing to the risk that well-armed nations may fight over resources in the future.

''All this means our strategic landscape is becoming more crowded and complex,'' she said.

Countries including China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia are increasing their defence spending and modernising their militaries in what some experts say is verging on an arms race. Territorial disputes, particularly in the South China Sea, are causing tensions.

The new strategy has received mixed reaction from security experts. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute's executive director, Peter Jennings, said it was ''one part common sense and one part disappointment'', in that it did not spell out how the government would meet broad aspirations in an era of belt-tightening.

''Notwithstanding the language, the government's cuts to national security spending actually demonstrate that, for them, this is a lower priority.''

Ms Gillard will announce further details on the cyber security centre, which will bring together key departments and agencies - Defence, ASIO, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Crime Commission.

Gary Waters, a cyber security expert from the Kokoda Foundation, welcomed the fact that the digital threat was becoming part of every security discussion.

''They've sought to normalise cyber within the national security contract, rather than present it as something in itself … which I think is a strong development,'' he said.

But new funding for the centre was vital, he said.

Peter Leahy, a former chief of the army and now director of the University of Canberra's national security institute, said the strategy was ''a really good start''.

But on cyber security, the threat was ''of such a magnitude'' that a separate agency should be created to deal with it, he said. And the Department of Foreign Affairs was underfunded to do the extra diplomatic work the Prime Minister had promised.

Professor Leahy also questioned Ms Gillard's declaration that the 9/11 decade was over.

''I fear that in future years we might just be talking about the 9/11 century,'' he said.

The Australian National University's professor of national security, Michael Wesley, agreed, saying Ms Gillard had made ''a big call''.

5 comments

Though not directly relevant to this article, recently I read that the Labor Government is allowing the USA to extend their jurisdiction over OZ. That is, some commuter hacking crimes inter alia will be actionable in the USA even if the person involved has never set foot in 'The Land of the Free'.This is a huge erosion of our sovereignty,, and must be rescinded ASAP.The 'Law' often says, "Ignorance is no excuse".Now thanks to Gillard all OZ citizens are required to know the USA's penal code. OUTRAGEOUS.!!The USA maybe one of our great allies, but that is no reason to bend over backwards and do somersaults when ever they click their fingers!Remember the USA is BANKRUPT, and we can stand on our own and should be and be seen to be behaving independently and with integrity.

Commenter

imladeris

Location

UK(expat)

Date and time

January 24, 2013, 4:47AM

With the 'proven' bizzare incompetence of Gillard and her feminist, socialist regime running the country in dangerous times should fill Australians with real concern.

Commenter

zac48

Location

Melb.

Date and time

January 24, 2013, 8:33AM

funny how the PM rolls out this spin press release to hide the $5.5 billion reductions in defence spending, talk about hollow men!

Commenter

el groucho

Date and time

January 24, 2013, 8:36AM

Why is the PM doing all this? She and her government are months away from being kicked out. Just sit back and cause less trouble for the country dear PM.

Commenter

Frank

Date and time

January 24, 2013, 9:31AM

It seems that the Government is finally starting to take the Cyber Security threat seriously. I hope that this new centre will actually have the resources to do the job properly.

It would also be nice to have some legislation allowing investigation and prosecution powers with a view to charging actors that are discovered penetrating Government or business assets. While it would be difficult to bring actors overseas to justice, it would still put them and their sponsor countries on notice.

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